Novak Djokovic has always cited the importance of learning from each day, but the six-times Australian Open champion was in no mood to reflect when asked what he would take from the worst grand-slam defeat of his career. “I take my bags and I go home.” Djokovic bluntly replied.
And off he went after suffering one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history, a 7-6 (10-8), 5-7, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 second-round win for Denis Istomin, the world No 117 of Uzbekistan, who had earned his place in the draw by winning a wild-card spot in a play-off for players from the Asia-Pacific region seven weeks ago. He is the first male wild-card entrant to knock out the defending champion in any of the sport’s four leading events.
“He played obviously above his level. You got to give him credit for thatNovak Djokovic
Not since Wimbledon 2008 has Djokovic lost so early in a grand-slam tournament. He arrived in Australia last week after what was thought to be a confidence-boosting win over world No 1 Andy Murray in the final of the Qatar Open and comfortably came through a tough opening test against Spaniard Fernando Verdasco. Yesterday, however, he made 72 unforced errors and his experience was not enough to help him through an astonishing match that lasted four hours and 48 minutes.
The aura of invincibility that once surrounded Djokovic has faded. Seven and a half months ago, the 29-year-old held all the grand-slam trophies at the same time, but has suffered a staggering slump in form. The Serbian himself could not disagree when asked afterwards if he felt that his opponents now came out against him with more belief than ever.
“Sure,” Djokovic said. “They wouldn’t be playing against me or any other opponent or any other tournament, for that matter, if they don’t believe that they can win. They go out and they try their best.
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“I never underestimate any opponent. It doesn’t matter which tournament I play in or which round, I try to give the best that I can. I have respect for everybody. Him [Istomin] playing this well, it’s amazing. He played obviously above his level. You got to give him credit for that. Many things came together for him today. He’s a well-deserved winner.”
Istomin’s victory was all the more remarkable when you consider that he had to save four match points in the semi-final of last month’s play-off against India’s Prajnesh Gunneswaran, the world No 319. One of the shots that kept the 30-year-old in the match clipped the line by milimetres.
Istomin’s build-up to the Australian Open had consisted of just two matches at a second-tier challenger event in Bangkok a fortnight ago. His record against top-ten players coming into the match was 1-32. Few, if anyone, then had given him much of a chance against world No 2 Djokovic.
An opening game lasting 15 minutes was a sign of things to come. Djokovic raised his arms in the air in celebration after saving six break points and holding his serve. He sat down on his courtside chair and jokingly asked Istomin: “Shall we move on to the tie-break?” Around an hour later, they eventually did reach the tie-break, Istomin saving two set points and claiming it 10-8.
“For me, it was impossible to think that I can hold it [for] five sets with NovakDenis Istomin
Djokovic hit back by winning sets two and three, but Istomin was not done yet. Attacking at any hint of a short ball, he had his opponent on the back foot and took the match to a deciding set with an ace out wide on his fourth set point in the second tie-break.
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Djokovic, out of sorts and lacking his usual metronomic rhythm, was helpless in the face of the power coming at him from the other side of the net. A blistering backhand winner down the line gave Istomin the break for 3-2 and he later served out the biggest win of his career by firing a serve down the middle of the court, the return of Djokovic landing long. Istomin turned towards his box in disbelief and looked at his coach, Klaudiya, who is also his mother. “Mum, we did a good job,” he said.
Asked later for his response, had someone told him at the start of the year that this was coming, Istomin replied: “I would say, ‘Are you crazy or what?’ Especially in five sets, for sure. For me, it was impossible to think that I can hold it [for] five sets with Novak, physically and mentally. It is unreal. To beat Novak in five sets, it’s a great win.”
The suggestion that there was still some form of emotional hangover after his French Open success last June was rejected by Djokovic. “It’s not a time now to go so deep into it,” Djokovic said. “I didn’t reflect on that at all at this stage. I started a new season, a new year, as everybody else. I forgot about it, in a way. It’s not affecting me.
“It’s a tennis match. On a given day, you can lose. Nothing is impossible. There is over a hundred players playing in the main draw. I guess the quality of tennis keeps rising each year. Everybody becomes more professional. I guess they improve. They get better on the court. What can I do? I did try my best till the last shot, but it didn’t work.
“It’s one of these days when you don’t feel that great on the court, don’t have much rhythm, and the player you’re playing against is feeling the ball very well. So, that’s sport.”
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Djokovic’s removal from the draw opens up an opportunity for an unforeseen semi-finalist, with players such as Dominic Thiem, David Goffin and Grigor Dimitrov in the bottom quarter, from which Djokovic has been eliminated. It is also welcome news for players such as Milos Raonic and Rafael Nadal, who would have expected to face Djokovic in the last four, although the Spaniard— who defeated Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 yesterday — would surpass expectations by progressing that far.